Compassionate pet mum Claire travelled with her three beloved pets, Floss, Briar and Misty, from Hobart to London with Petraveller. She talks about her loyal furry companions and why she chose Petraveller to handle Floss, Briar and Misty’s international relocation to the UK.
Claire adopted a five-month-old rescue dog, named her Floss and made her a part of her life. Claire shares, “Floss had several owners before me and was very timid and scared of strangers. She often cowered away from people she didn’t know. Floss is very loving and excitable but also very timid of new people and environments. She was adopted as a rescue at a young age and appeared to have some trauma in her past, but we have worked hard to overcome that.”
Floss is a full-time working dog involved in herding sheep and cattle, which keeps her active and fit. She also enjoys playing with a ball, although retrieving it is not her strong suit. Claire says affectionately, “Floss is my partner in crime and my main work dog, as well as the one who insists the sofa belongs to her!” Claire adds, “Floss is crate trained and used to being in a dog box so she will be happy in her travel crate, though quite nervous as new environments are still quite scary for her. Hopefully, travelling with Briar and Misty will help.”
Briar, an adorable Kelpie, holds a special place in Claire’s heart as she is the daughter of her best friend’s dog. Claire’s bond with Briar began when she first laid eyes on her at just three days old. Eight weeks later, Briar joined Claire’s family, and life hasn’t been the same since. Unlike Claire’s previous rescue dogs, Briar’s journey started as adventurous. Claire says, “Briar came everywhere with me from day one and is far more confident than my other two dogs. However, she still has some of the Kelpie timidity and sometimes will bark if she doesn’t know you, all while wagging her tail and giving mixed messages!”
Claire adds, “Briar can be quite loud and vocal if she’s excited or intimidated, but she calms down quickly if you ignore her. As the youngest of the pack, Briar is very submissive to the other two dogs, and I think that’s made her so much more perceptive. Briar is the dog that will notice if you’re sad or having a bad day and will come up to you, put her head under your arm and push her way in for a cuddle. Briar is the dog that insists on sleeping tucked into me every night. No matter how often I put her in her bed, when I wake up in the morning, she’s snuggled into me for a cuddle.”
Claire talks about Briar’s vibrant personality. She says, “Briar loves playing with the ball and is obsessed with water. Whenever the hose is out, she tries to bite the water; the sprinkler keeps her occupied for hours. Briar has been learning to herd sheep and cattle; she’s not yet fully trained she can hold her own quite well.”
Claire adopted Misty when she was approximately eighteen months old as a rescue dog who had endured a challenging past. Claire recalls, “Misty had been bought as a puppy to be a farm dog but was in terrible condition, full of worms and a bag of bones. When Misty didn’t do what was asked of her, she was hit with a stick or kicked. When I ended up with her, she was terrified of everything. It took me six weeks for her to allow me to get anywhere near here, and almost two years later, she still is wary of strangers, especially men.”
Despite Misty’s traumatic past, she has blossomed into a fully trained working dog who adores her job. Claire proudly shares, “Misty is incredibly loyal, and once you have her trust, you see a completely different side of her. She’s playful, loving, and gentle. Misty loves nothing more than snoozing in her kennel or, ideally, on my bed!”
Describing Misty’s personality, Claire explains, “Misty is the most rewarding of all three of my dogs due to the incredible transformation I’ve witnessed in her. She went from a dog who would run away from me to one who always wants to be by my side. In the last six months, Misty has learned to play, and it was incredible to watch her racing around with the other dogs on the beach. She may be large, but she is a gentle giant.”
Claire was heading back to her hometown in London. She says, “I came to Australia in 2019 for six months and got stuck here because of Covid. I am now moving home as my visa ends, and I want to be closer to my family again. My dogs are work dogs, but also pets. I did consider rehoming them, but I believe I can give them a better life in England. I want my dogs to have a chance to dig, to play with the ball and to go to the beach, just like they have now. They’re also very attached to me, and I don’t think the rescues would cope well with being rehomed. It’s a very expensive decision to move them. However, I have no doubt that this is in the dogs’ best interests. I love them to pieces and will do whatever it takes to give them the life they deserve.”
During her research for a reputable pet relocation service, Claire discovered Petraveller. She chose Petraveller because of their outstanding reputation and the transparency they offered. Claire says, “I did some research, and Petraveller had the best reputation. I felt reassured by the transparency and the videos of dogs while travelling. Everyone at Petraveller was always happy to answer my questions, which also helped.”
Floss, Briar and Misty had a wonderful journey and made it safely to their new home in London. Thank you, Claire, for trusting Petraveller with your precious pets. Here’s wishing you a beautiful life and many exciting adventures with Floss, Briar and Misty in the beautiful English countryside.